Support NeoGAF

[Despera]

Okay, so the game is scary, but what on earth is this? This person should not be allowed play videogames if they are going to be reduced to coughing up their guts in panic.

I laughed so hard. Can't believe I haven't seen that one before.

I wish I could be scared like that by game. Most I feel is a bit of tension.

 

[Messofanego]

New RockPaperShotgun article

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/03/12/makin-bacon-dan-pinchbeck-on-a-machine-for-pigs/

RPS: So you’re the main developer, what is Frictional’s involvement?

Pinchbeck: They’re executive producers. They’re effectively funding it, and we work for them. It’s almost like as a 3rd party, but we have full developmental responsibilities, and the great thing is we have more or less complete creative freedom. We signed off on a loose concept, and bounce ideas back and forth, but they’re really letting us run with it, they’re really trusting us to do it. I think because they know we’re such big fans of the original Amnesia game. I’m going “There’s real sacred ground here, we have to look after this game”. It’s kind of like making a sequel to half-life or something, there’s no way I’m ever going to be able to live with myself if we fuck this up.

I didn't know this, bombs dropped for me! Excited, though.

RPS: What kind of things have to be in a game for it to be an Amnesia game?

Pinchbeck: It has to be absolutely, bone-shatteringly, terrifying. That was the key thing, Thomas said “If we don’t get as many Youtube videos of people spazzing out, then we haven’t done our job.”
We’re looking at emphasis on story, which is there in Amnesia, which is a great common ground for us, obviously. It’s not just make you jump terrifying, but it’s got that deep, crawling horror. Even when you’re not being scared out of your wits by something on the screen, you’re really disturbed by what’s going on as well. One of the things that they did really well with Amnesia was unique events, so you couldn’t just apply the same logic that you’ve used before, you have to try and work out your environment. We’ve really looked at that as well, so the journey that you take through this game, you’re not ever going to the same kind of actions to get out of problems each time you’re presented with them. You have to think on your feet each time we throw something at you. Of course there’s no combat, you’re completely defenceless against anything you might come up against, which is such a cornerstone to how the series works.

lol

RPS: So it’s a new setting, and new characters?

Pinchbeck: Yep. It’s 60 years later, the new game takes place on New Years Eve in 1899, in the streets of London, so it’s full of mist, Steampunk, Victoriana. It’s set broadly in the same universe, but it’s not a direct sequel, these aren’t descendants of any of the characters. The underlying mythos of Amnesia is present, but making itself felt in another story, another time, another part of the world. That’s been really great in term of making the game. Even if we’re not making it explicitly clear to the player, the logic of what’s going on, the development team are going “Well that makes sense, because that would fit in there. There are bits where it’s going to be interesting to see how direct a comparisson people draw. For us, we’ve got this amazing playground, fictionally, to build this new stuff off. Because we’ve gone that far forwards, it means we can do all kinds of other stuff, in terms of industrialisation, in terms of machines for pigs.


RPS: What is the Machine for pigs then?

Pinchbeck: That’s the story, that’s the central thing: What is a machine for pigs? The story is, We have this industrial tycoon, who works with livestock. He disappears off to Mexico, with his familly in tow, on this mysterious treasure hunt adventure thing. Something goes horribly wrong in Mexico, we don’t know what that is, but he becomes gravely ill, falls into a coma-fever, and the game starts with him waking up, not knowing how much time has passed, having had these terrifying dreams of this dark machine. As he wakes up, he hears something start up far below him. Your journey is is to discover what’s happened to him in that missing time, where he is, how much time has passed, and is this machine real, or is it fantasy. That’s where you jump in.

RPS: When are we going to get to play this?

Pinchbeck: The target is Halloween, we’d really like to release it on Halloween at midnight. Things going the way they are at the moment, we’re looking on course for that, so we’re hoping to start to let people have a glimpse of some of the stuff that might be happening around Summer.

RPS: Thank you for your time.

 

[gabbo]

New RockPaperShotgun article

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/03/12/makin-bacon-dan-pinchbeck-on-a-machine-for-pigs/

They're saying all the right things as far as I'm concerned. 'Amnesia' is the new 'Bioshock' in this regard. Tell as many tales under one banner as can be done.

 

[water_wendi]

i need to get the first Amnesia. im loving whats being said here.

 

[Cydonian__Knight]

That was a great interview with RPS. Halloween can't come fast enough.

 

[Bentendo]

Can I ask a question to fans of the original?

Basically, I've seen the reaction videos online and know that there's a nice-sized following, but is Amnesia really that big of a franchise now only after one year and one game? In the interview they kind of make it seem like it's a huge deal that they've been given the privilege to make a game in the series.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

Can I ask a question to fans of the original?

Basically, I've seen the reaction videos online and know that there's a nice-sized following, but is Amnesia really that big of a franchise now only after one year and one game? In the interview they kind of make it seem like it's a huge deal that they've been given the privilege to make a game in the series.

Yes, the game was made on a budget of less than 100K I believe - and it toppled expectations. It was successful financially, and creatively. The team is incredibly small, or was for the development at that point. It takes the best in the genre, intensifies it, makes it unique. There's nothing like it out there really. You wouldn't make it a big deal that the game you created with a handful of friends/colleagues, without steady pay or any idea how it would turn out?

They deserve all the credit, success and opportunity in the world. Go play it and you'll see why.

 

[Junie12]

I'm scared to play this game, the original gave me nightmares!

Spoiler

DAY 1

 

[Bjoern the Smexy]

I'm scared to play this game, the original gave me nightmares!

Spoiler

DAY 1

Fortunately the game didn't give me nightmares, but that was only because I found out very quickly how the mechanics behind it worked:

Spoiler

Basically: Stay out of the dark. Stay in the light for as long as you can to reset your insanity level. The higher your insanity level gets the more likely you'll be followed by these abnormal and horrible creatures. If one of these follows you, hide in a dark corner until you hear no sound of it anymore. Then stay in the light again. Of course all of this still won't help you from these horribly creepy invisible creatures that lurk in the water.

Amnesia was awesome and I won't have it any other way. Hopefully A Machine For Pigs will deliver just as good as the first one.

 

[gabbo]

Can I ask a question to fans of the original?

Basically, I've seen the reaction videos online and know that there's a nice-sized following, but is Amnesia really that big of a franchise now only after one year and one game? In the interview they kind of make it seem like it's a huge deal that they've been given the privilege to make a game in the series.

I don't know if I'd say Amnesia is a huge franchise insofar as I think this is a case of one developer paying respect to another developer. thechineseroom obviously took it as a huge compliment that Frictional approached them to create a sequel, and they don't want to let themselves, Frictional, or Amnesia's fans down with shoddy work.

 

[sam27368]

Ohh new teaser! http://www.aamfp.com/

 

[jim-jam bongs]

Ohh new teaser! http://www.aamfp.com/

Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy

 

[Bel_Air_Jeff]

Can't wait for this game.

Just was thinking about it and decided to give this a bump.


HYPE

 

[Dascu]

And here I was, thinking we got a solid release date.

Ehh, hope it's soon. I'm in the mood for some quality horror gaming.